


Home Is Where the Heart Is

by Oakwyrm



Series: Training Dragons in TI [7]
Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - How to Train Your Dragon Fusion, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Multi, Returning Home, TI SPP 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 15:39:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12257265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oakwyrm/pseuds/Oakwyrm
Summary: Moren is a trader and occasionally a treasure hunter, so of course he's sailed almost everywhere in the archipelago. Still his favourite place to dock remains Berk.





	Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt "Hearth"

The moon shone high in a bright night sky as a small merchant ship cut her way through the waves. The young man at the helm blinked sleep out of his eyes as he looked to the stars for guidance. His mother had woken him only a few minutes prior for the changing of the guard, though the chill November air did its best to shock his brain into alertness he was still not entirely there. Moren yawned. The ship creaked.

She was a humble merchant vessel, small enough for one person at a time to operate. Their cargo was safely stored in the half-open lower deck, and his mother was sleeping soundly in the deck tent. The sea was quiet, though Moren knew better than to trust that it would remain so. He had been raised on ships, he knew the waters of the archipelago like the back of his hand.

Of course, he knew better than to steer into areas with large dragon populations, but the fact remained that there was nowhere that was safe. Moren had learned at a very young age never to trust a quiet sea.

He shook himself slightly, chasing those thoughts from his head. It did him no good to think too much about everything that could go wrong. They were not far from Berk now, it wouldn't be long. His eyes reflexively scanned the horizon for the familiar watch fires, though he knew he was still just a little too far off for that. He pulled his winter cloak closer around himself and settled more comfortably, preparing for the long night ahead.

***

Markus stretched, leaning back in his chair and staring with tired eyes at the recipe for the tonic he had been tasked to make. It wasn't urgent by any means. He could easily just leave it for tomorrow morning. He rubbed his forehead, trying to get his head back on track.

Soft, barely audible footsteps from behind him alerted him to that Thog was awake and moving about, but he didn't pay much attention until he felt a hand close on his shoulder.

“He's gonna get here quicker if you sleep.” Thog's voice told plainly that he had just woken up again.

“I don't know about that I think time still moves the same whether I'm awake to experience it or not.” Markus didn't have to look at Thog to know he was rolling his eyes.

“You need sleep or you're gonna get sick and be miserable and bitter about it.”

“I always get sick during winter,” Markus said, waving his hand dismissively. Thog sighed, moving away from Markus to go tend the low-burning fire.

“You know someday the Gods are gonna decide you've had enough luck,” he said.

“They haven't yet.”

Thog didn't reply. A heavy silence fell, only broken by the crackling of the fire and the sound of cloth shuffling as Thog poked at it. Finally, Markus sighed turning to look at Thog, who was staring at him with an unreadable expression.

“Well fuck. You got me. But-” Thog shook himself slightly, getting back to his feet- “I have. You're not gonna get anything more done tonight, anyway.” Markus nodded slowly and got to his feet, grabbing his comb from the desk and quickly sorting through his hair before braiding it for sleep.

Thog got back into the bed, burying himself in the furs, letting himself drift. He heard Markus snuff out the oil lamp he'd been using, leaving the fire in the hearth was the only source of light left. Some more quiet shuffling later he felt a dip in the bedding next to him as Markus joined him.

“Did I wake you?” Markus' voice was quiet. Thog's only answer was a half-awake hum that could have been a yes or a no. Markus shuffled a little closer before settling down. Thog seemed already to have fallen asleep again. Markus stared up at the ceiling in quiet thought. Shadows dances there, cast by the flickering fire. He let them lull him to sleep, shifting from shadow into deep, dark water, rising up to drown the world.

***

Markus woke first the next morning, the night's slow, chilling dreams still swirling about his head. Outside the sky was dark, as it would be for the next three months. Markus shivered as he got out of the warm comfort of the bed. Thog muttered something in his sleep and rolled over.

It was a little too early to be awake, but Markus knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. He moved as quietly as he could around the house, changing his clothes and re-braiding his hair for the day. He glanced briefly at the recipe still sitting where he had left it last night and shook his head, a soft laugh escaping him. It hadn't been a very good excuse and Thog had seen right through it, as usual. Even if he had stayed awake longer he wouldn't have made the thing, he'd just have worried about Moren.

He gathered what he needed from the shelf where he kept such things and set to work. It didn't take long for him to complete the task. He sat back, looking at the flask that now sat on the table. He'd thought it would occupy him a little longer. He glanced at the door. The senior healer was probably not awake yet and Markus wasn't entirely keen on being the one to wake her.

“You're up early,” Thog grumbled. Markus turned in time to see him roll out of bed and land on the floor with a quiet thud.

Markus bit back a laugh. “You ok down there?”

“Fine.” Thog pushed himself up, blinking sleep out of his eyes. His hair seemed more tussled than it usually was in the mornings.

“Want some help with that?” Markus asked, gesturing to Thog's hair.

Thog leaned back against the bed and yawned out a yes. Markus grabbed his comb and settled himself on the bed behind Thog. They fell into a comfortable silence as Markus began to work the night's tangles out of his hair. Thog might have slipped back to sleep if accidentally nodding off wouldn't have lead to getting his hair tugged.

“You got your work done,” he said in an effort to keep himself awake. Markus hummed an affirmative and the silence resumed.

***

Moren felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him back to wakefulness. He groaned, pulling he furs closer to himself. He'd gotten two hours of sleep at best.

“We're docking soon,” his mother's voice held a hint of warning. He sat up slowly, squinting at her in the lantern light. She stood up, closing the tent flap behind her. “Feel free to join me when you're ready.” Moren flopped back down onto the furs. Either one of them could have docked on their own but she was right. He would want to be awake and presentable for their arrival.

Reluctantly he kicked the covers off himself and grabbed his clothes. He changed as quickly as possible, hurried along by the cold air. Once he'd gotten himself dressed and combed his hair he ducked out of the tent. His mother was doing a last minute check of their goods, but his attention was drawn elsewhere. To the familiar sight of Berk's docks. He'd come close enough to spot the watch fires during the night before they switched again, but now the light of life on Berk was truly visible.

People were already gathering on the docks, though he couldn't see Markus or Thog yet. He leaned against the railing and let the cold breeze wash over his face, shocking his system back into wakefulness.

As they pulled even with the dock he grabbed the front mooring line and jumped over to secure the boat as his mother did the same with the aft. When it was clear they were secured people started lining up. His mother looked over to him and made a shooing gesture with her hand. She had the trading covered.

He grinned and began to take a step forward and in an instant his brain and his legs decided to remind him that he hadn't actually been on land in about a month. The world seemed to sway as he tried to get accustomed to it not doing so. He gritted his teeth and tried to move forwards only to be confronted with the hard wood of the dock speeding towards his face as he stumbled.

He could have caught himself and prevented disaster but he was spared the need to my a familiar shape darting over to steady him. He leaned against Thog and shook his head to clear it.

Markus made his way towards them with a grin. “Don't go falling for us too hard, now,” he said.

“Really, Markus?” Thog asked. Markus laughed. Moren smiled, standing more upright.

“Nice to see you, too.” Still leaning on Thog he reached out and pulled Markus into a one-armed hug. “You better not have anything extravagant planned though I had the night watch last night.”

“Oh yeah no don't worry we've got nothing,” Markus said. Moren chuckled, detaching himself from the two of them.

“On that note how long are you planning on staying?” Thog asked as they began to make their way up towards the town.

“The whole winter if things go to plan,” Moren replied, looking around as they got off the docks. Berk was already covered in a thick blanket of snow. Some doors had clearly had to be dug out and pathways were forming through town.

“Taking a vacation?” Markus asked, playfully nudging Moren with his elbow. Thog snorted.

“Pretty shit place to vacation,” he said. Moren laughed.

“I missed you two,” he said as they reached the door of Thog's house. Though saying that is was only Thog's would be inaccurate these days seeing as Markus had practically moved in, to the point where he had most of his herbs and other healer's things there.

“We missed you, too,” Markus said, leaning down slightly to kiss his cheek before slipping back inside. Thog and Moren followed close after, stomping snow off their boots and hanging cloaks, hats and gloves where they belonged.

The fire in the hearth crackled merrily, welcoming them in. Moren collapsed down on the bench in front of the fire. He closed his eyes and let the warmth soak into him. Thog sat down next to him while Markus did something by the food cupboards. Moren listened to the sounds of wooden dishes clattering and Thog's calm breathing and for a moment he let himself admit that if there had to be one place that he could in honesty call his home, he didn't mind that this was it.

**Author's Note:**

> "Hey" you may wonder. "Why's it that Moren still lives with his mom most of the time while Thog and Markus have their own house?"
> 
> The answer is it was Thog's family's house but Thog's got no more parents. Whether they're just out in the world somewhere or died in a dragon raid I don't know. Also, Markus' family is still around but he doesn't live with them anymore. Moren lives with his mom on their ship 'cause she's determined that she's gonna keep working until she drops dead.


End file.
